Green was caring, compassionate

Thank you for the Jan. 21 article on an amazing teacher, Ms. Linda Green. She taught two of my three children at Lincoln Park Elementary and I will always remember how caring and compassionate she was with both of them.

I notice that she mentioned Ms. Hazel Scales as one of her inspirations. I will never forget Ms. Scales either. As an English teacher at Escambia, she challenged me every day to do better. It's important to honor these folks because they certainly can't see how much parents appreciate them when they look at their paycheck stubs.

What surprised me about the article was that Ms. Green was at Escambia High in 1966. I graduated from that school in 1967, and I wasn't aware of any African-American students attending Escambia at that time. I'm wondering if there was a special effort to hide the fact that she was there? Considering the attitudes of those days, it wouldn't surprise me if that were so.

Ms Green, you deserved this article and you are someone I will always remember and appreciate for the special care you showed for my kids. It's nice to have this opportunity to finally say thanks.

- Linda Enterkin

Pensacola

40th anniversary

Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of America's declaration of war on the womb. Since then this war's casualties exceeded many wars waged in the history of mankind. These precious little ones will never know that they once had a right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

But perhaps a precursor to America's reprobation was a decade earlier when, through three Supreme Court decisions, America declared war on God. Statistics reveal that at this point things began to go downhill. Alexis de Tocqueville once wrote, "The Americans combine the notions of religion and liberty so intimately in their minds that it is impossible to make them conceive of one without the other."

Once the liberty of one group is infringed the liberties of all are put in jeopardy. And without the author of this natural law of liberty it will erode never to be known by God-rejecting societies again.

"Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." (John Adams)

As our liberties continue to disappear perhaps, before it's too late, we should recall that "only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." (Benjamin Franklin)